Hospital-bed.



1. FORD.

HOSPITAL BED.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26. I918.

Patented Oc-t. 7,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I B {01122, Far

- ATTORNEYS? J. FORD.

HOSPITAL BED.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26; 191R.

Patented Oct. 7, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- :Z: '0 6 J 1 W "U a WITNESSES uwmron Jbhn Ford A TTOHNEYS 1. FORD.

HOSPITAL BED.

APPLICATION min on. 26. 1918'.

Patented Oct. 7, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 4| I vl,

WITNESSES John Frd JOHN FORD, 0F PORTNEUF, QUEBEC, CANADA;

HOSPITAL-BED.

operating tables, stretchers and the like, and

it has to deal more particularly with a flexible bed bottom or table top having a recess or well for enablingbandages to be easily applied and sheets to be changed without altering the position of the patient, and also to accommodate a bed pan or the equivalent. The invention has for its general objects to improve the construction of devicesof this character so as to be reliable and efficient in use, comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and so designed as to more comfortably accommodate a patient.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a flexible bed bottom, table top or the like which has an adjustable recess or well which can be moved to any point within the length of the bed bottom or table top to facilitate operating on or bandaging the patient or for changing the sheets, or for accommodating a bed pan, the said recess being formed by a movable frame or carriage slidably mounted on the bed, stretcher or table frame and having guide rollers whereby a loop is formed in the bed bottom or table top' to constitute the well'or recess. 7

With such ob ects in view, and others whichwwill appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be set forth with particularity in the following description and claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention and wherein similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a hospital bed equipped with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a slightly modified form of bed from that disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sec- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. *7, 1919.

Application filed October 26, 1918. Serial No.'25 9,87 0.

tional view through Fig. 3 on line 4-4, illustrating the arrangement of the;rollers and support at the end of the body.

In the present instance the invention is shown as a hospital bed, but it is to be understood that it may be applied to a stretcher, operating table or the like.

Referring to the drawings 1 and 2 designate thehead and foot of a bed connected by the usual side bars 3.

The bed bottom comprisesa strip of canvas 4 fastened at its ends to head and foot cross bars 5 and 6 which are secured to the the mattress is considerably longer than the length of the bed, so that a hanging loop is provided .at 9 to constitute a. recess or well 10 in the bed bottom. This well is held open by the use of a plurality of spaced upper rollers 11 and 12 and spaced lower rollers 13 and 14, all of such. rollers being mounted on a frame or carriage15 having wheels-16 that ride on the side bars 3. The upper rollers 11 and 12 have their journals extended into squared extremities 17 for receiving an operating crank 18 whereby the roll-carrying frame 15 can be moved from one end of the bed to the other to thereby adjust the position of the well or recess 10. This well permits a patient to be operated on or treated more conveniently, and enables bandages to be more readily applied and sheets to be changed without altering the position of the patient. In Fig. 2 of the drawing a second sheet 8 is shown near the foot just in the act of being spread on the bed bottom and the sheet 8 being removed. The frame 15 includes a horizontal trough-like member 15 which' serves to form the body of the well to hold the sheets as well as a bed pan or the like. As the carriage or frame 15 is moved toward the head the sheet 8 will be spread on the bed bottom and the sheet 8 will wind up in the well.

In Fig. 3 will be seen a slightly modified form of bed in which a chain flexible cable or other connecting means 19 is provided to hold the auxiliary rollers 20 in place, said auxiliary rollers resting on the side rails 3 of the bed and guided on to said rails and over said rails by guiding members 21 arranged at each end of the bed. This may be readily accomplished as seen in Fig. 4 when the side rail 3 is connected to a suitable arm projecting from the leg or upright of the bedstead. The same carriage may be used in this form of the invention as in the preferred form, or the same carriage with one of the rollers removed as preferred.

This construction and arrangement of rollers 20 produces a firm and comparatively rigid support so that the bed may be used as an operating table'if desired in addition to that of a bed. The head or pillow support 22 is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the angle iron 5 and may not only be used in this form of the invention but in the prev ferred form without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the following claims the term supportingstructure?" will be understood to cover abed frame, stretcher frame or table frame, andthe term flexible element Will cover a bed bottom, stretcher canvas, operat- "ingtable top, orthe like.

From the foregoing description taken in 1 connection with the accompanying drawlngs, the advantages of the construction and method'of operation will be readily under-.

' stood by those skilled in the art to Which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, to-

gether with the device which I 110W con sider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made When desired as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

' well or recess, and a-movable frame on the said structure'for holding the loop open- 2;Ahospital bed comprising a support, a

flexible element having its ends fastened to said support and provided With a loop intermediateits'end's to constitute a Well or recess, and a frame onthe said support for hold ng Copies of this patent may be obtained for vfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of lat e nts,

llower rollers.

the loop open, said frame being movable to change the position of the said Well.

3. A hospital bed comprising a support 7 including side bars, a carriage movably mounted on the side bars, a pair of spaced upper rollers on the carriage and a. pair of lower rollers on the frame, and a flexible element fastened to said support and extending successively over one of the upper rollers, under the loWer rollers and over the otherupper roller, whereby a recess or well is formed.

4. .A hospital bed comprising a support including side bars, a frame movably mounted on the side bars, a pair of spaced upper rollers on the frame and a pairof lower rollers on the frame, said upper rollers resting on said bars, aifiexlble element fastened to said support and running successively over one of the upper rollers, under the lower rollers and over the other upper roller, whereby arecess orwell is formed, and atrough-likemember located on thelframe at a point between the 5. A hospital bedcomprising a supporting bed frame,:a flexible element in the form of a strip having its, ends fastened to said frame, the length of the element being longer than the frame, wherebya loop is provided within the length of the element to constitute a well or recess, anda movable carriage supported by said frame for holding the loop open and for permitting the loop to be moved to any part of the frame.

(3. A hospital bed comprising a supporting structure, aflexible element in the form of a strip having its ends fastened to the supporting structure, the length of the elementebeing longer than the supporting structure,

whereby a loop is provided within the, length of the element to constitute a well'or recess,

movable means'for holding the loop open for permitting the loop to be moved to any part of the supporting structure, iandfiexible supporting means positioned beneath. said flexible elementfor supporting the; same.

: JOHN roan.

- Washington, D. G. 

